Crazy Crabbers Podcast: Host Stove Edition

The latest addition of the Crazy Crabbers podcast talking the hot stove updates.

Listen to internet radio with Crazy Crab Talk on Blog Talk Radio

The Giants keep the band together, Uribe bolts for the Dodgers, Other NL West News, Brandon Belt and the honeymoon period for the Giants front office.

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Who Should Start in CF? Aaron Rowand vs. Cody Ross

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Player A:	Player B:
2010 Season: .231/ .284/ .375	2010 Season: .261/ .315/ .392
Career: .276/.355/ .442	Career: .263/.321/ .462
Career UZR/150 in CF: 7.6	Career UZR/150 in CF: 0.8

Wow those choices are a real let down and don't inspire much confidence.

In the light of Andres Torres going in for an emergency appendectomy, the Giants replacements in house are not all that pretty.

The leading candidates are Aaron Rowand and Cody Ross, the more long shot guys would be Darren Ford or Eugenio Velez.

That's take a closer look at each

The Favorites:

Aaron Rowand:

The gamer.

Rowand was brought in 2008 to be the face of the franchise and in the eyes of Giants fans he has been a disappointment. His first 2 seasons were ok, not worth the big contract that he signed but still serviceable. This season, well that's a very different story. He has fallen off a cliff offensively hitting .231/ .284/ .375 in 320 at bats.

The one thing that Rowand still has going for him is that he still plays an above average Center Field. That being said he has no business being near the front of the Giants lineup where Bruce Bochy thinks he plays best.

Cody Ross:

The Broken Bat Triple Misplayer.

Ross was a waiver wire block that ended up joining the team. Turns out having a bunch of outfielders wasn't the worst thing in the world. Ross has been a steady offensive player but nothing special in his 4 big league seasons averaging an OPS+ of 117.75.

The one thing that will really hurt his chances is that in his short span with the Giants he hasn't gone crazy. Bruce Bochy frowns upon that. In addition Ross isn't the best rated CF according to Ultimate Zone Rating coming out at about average which will hurt team when the water buffalos are in the corner spots.

The Long shots:

Eugenio Velez:

The Man with the Iron Mitt.

The Giants love Velez but man there is nothing that would scare and bother me more then seeing Velez out in Center Field.

His Major League Equivalent (MLE) isn't anything special but it is better then Aaron Rowand: .258/ .300/ .355.

Darren Ford:

The Fleetfooted Base Stealer.

I doubt that Ford is really even considered but man he is fast. His minor league numbers are pretty underwhelming, his MLE: .207/ .256/ .291.

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Down Goes Velez and other Roster Moves

It seems like I complain about something and the Giants go out and do something to make me happy.

First it was Mark DeRosa and his lack of hitting and Power and the next thing you know you has a laser show with a rocket double and a line drive single.

Then today there is news that my least favorite Giant of the moment is being sent to AAA. I am happy to say that Eugenio Velez will not be rolling over any more first pitch sliders to second base in a Giants uniform for atl east a little while. This is cause to celebrate, Brian Sabean made a smart move for once.

The roster moves that were made:

Edgar Renteria to the 15 day DL with a groin strain. Ryan Rohlinger is being recalled from Fresno.

To replace Eugenio Velez with the big club will be Denny Bautista who has been around the minors for a while and pitched well in Fresno. I am glad that it was Eugenio and not John Bowker who was optioned.

The moves will be updated in the 40-man roster link at the top.

Go Giants beat the Mets tonight.

Meet Eugenio Velez, Replacement Level Player:

I don’t really care for Eugenio Velez as a player. In fact in my book is kind of like the meatless vegetarian products at the grocery store, I don’t really like them, I don’t want them in my cart, but I understand that there may be a place for them in the store.

So in this story my cart is the major league ball club. I don’t really see the reason that baring injury to a number of players that he should be at this level. I do understand that he does provide something to the organization (the reason he is on the shelf in the grocery store). He is a nice guy to have in AAA in case the store misses the delivery of hamburger or chicken (the team bus gets in an accident and 3 outfielders need to go the hospital, or there was tainted food in the after game spread that gives half the team food poising) he is a contingency plan in my book.

Velez is as close of a definition of a replacement level player as there gets and for his career he has performed like one racking up a value of 0.5 wins above replacement over 213 career games. He has some tools but looks completely lost trying to use them.

He is a fast guy but speed isn’t really one of his weapons. He doesn’t beat out a lot of infield hits, only about 11.3% of hits in his career are the infield verity; compare this to Pablo Sandoval who is not exactly fleet of foot how has a 10.9% career number.

Bochy Made the Right Call…On Wilson Pitching but not with Velez in LF:

It may not have been popular at all but pulling Tim Lincecum after 8 and a third was the right call. Yes Timmy had been dominate through 8 with 11 strike outs and no walks, but at the end of the game and a 4 pitch walk where every fastball was up you could see that he was fatigued. The heart of the lineup was coming up this was the correct call.

Before this implosion Brian Wilson had been pitching like he was mad at the world and just mowing people down. He had an 11.05 k/9 against 3.68 bb/9 and a 0.00 ERA and 0.82 WHIP. Those are great numbers and inspire trust.

I find no fault what so ever in Bochy going to Wilson, it was the call that I would have made. I think that if that ball is another couple inches to the right and Wilson gets the last out this isn’t an issue. It is only with hindsight that this looks like a bad decision. It is not like he went with the third or fourth best arm in the bullpen.

It was the right call, Lincecum is still great even if he was only at 65-70% however this really increases the chances of a hanger or another mistake pitch and I really like and trust Wilson in tight high leverage situations.

It is hard to believe how quick the fans (who we just talked up too) seemed to turn on Wilson (or maybe Bochy), but I guess that is the life of a closer. I felt like it was a kick in the nuts but it was the right call. I have had my problems with Bochy but this time I feel that he did the right thing.

The one decision that I will not defend is Eugenio Velez playing left field in critical situations. Any time the ball is hit out to him I have to concentrate on not having a bowel movement from nervousness. Today is not an exception, the first play ok it was tough and maybe a 50-50 play for even a good fielder. The second botched fielding job however is inexcusable; an average high schooler should make that play. The second run was a back breaker and it is all on Velez. That second run was the margin of victory and cost the Giants a sweep of a really good ball club.